Body molding



W. J. MOORE BODY MOLDING Filed Aug.v 1'1, 1928 fr 14 l INVENTQR William.JT Mmm/E.

'ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2l, 1930 UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM zr.Moonn, kon DETROIT, MICHIGAN BODY MOLDIN G `Application led August 11,1928. Serial No. 298,897.

` are secured to the surface of the body so that the molding willpresent a smooth unbroken surface which may be properly finished andwill present a neat appearance.

An object ott-he present invention is to secure a constructionl wherebythe molding may bevery accurately positioned and secured in place withfacility. It is also an object to provide a construction which issuch'that the same may be bent laterally-to lie close and evenly againstthe curved surfaces of the au-tomobile'body, and further to 2lprovidefor attaching the molding after the body has been given itsfinishingcoat and will cover the edges of such coating and preventcracking. A lfurther object is to provide a molding Which may be given afinishing coat and then applied to the body with the edges of themolding in firm contact with the body to make a tight joint therewith. Afurther object is to provide a securing strip for holding the moldingand which strip may be accurately positioned and firmly secured to thebodybefore the molding is applied `thereto and when the molding 1s soapplied it is firmly interlocked with the securing strip in sucha manneras to preclude its becoming loosened in use. Itis also an object toprovide interlocking means for connecting the moldl ing to the securingstrip which locking means is so .constructed as to insure a firm lockingengagement and the molding may be Aapplied with facility without dangerof marring its outer surface. l Vith the above and other ends in View,

the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and moreparticularly pointed out in the appendedclaims, reference bemg moldingin place thereon to illustrate the apmolding curved in the direction oftheir Width so that had'to lthe accompanying dra-Wing, in which uFigurel is a side elevation of an automobile body showing a inishing strip anddrip plication of the present invention in use;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section substantially upon the line 22 of Figure l; v -Figure 3 is an enlarged section similar to Figure 2,and showing the molding parts separated to illustrate the manner inwhich they iare brought together into interlocking'relaf Ion; y v yFigure 1 is a longitudinal section upon the line 4 4 of Figure 2; rFigure 5 is a perspective detail of a length of securing strip;

Figure' 6 is a perspective detail of a length of molding strip, and

Figure 7 is a sectional detail .similar to Figures 2 and 3' and showingthe molding strip formed With'a flange providing a drip trough. I

While the molding illustrated in the ac companying drawing isparticularly adapted for use 1n the finishing of automobile bodies itmay, of course, beused in other places and upon other kinds of work.4This molding comprises two parts, namely, a securing strip 1 which isof channel formation, and a 'moldlng strip 2 having the desired exteriorconfiguration and preferably formed convexo concave in crossA section.These strips are .preferably formed of a comparatively lsoft pliablemetal formed by the usual extruding method, the molding strip beingformed with a longitudinal centrally positioned rib 3 projecting fromthe innervor concave Vside of the molding and the sides of this rib areundercut as at 4, thus providing a dove-tail formation.

The securing strip l has a Hat base portion 5 with outstanding integraledge iianges 6, these flanges being bent inwardly of the strip towardeach. other and preferably they will easily bend toward each other, andtoward the base of the strip. Along the entirelength of the stripadjacent the meeting line of the flanges and the edges of the base 5.15o

' ,A no great amount offorce is required to so` 5? ment with 'the ribonthe molding,- the 'moldthese, flanges arepreferably thinned slightly .sothat they will more readily bend along thesev lines Without distortingthe base'of the strip, and the base of the strip is provided with aseries of holes'7 along the longitudinal center linel of the basethroughout its length to receive nails 8 or other members for firmly'securing the strip to the surface of the body or other structure towhich be applied. The molding is applied by first securing the strip lin place by nailing it firmly to the the molding is to bodyand thisoperation may 'be carried out with facility and accuracy due to the'formof this 'securing strip .which is accurately made so that it may besecured in placealong straight lines where such lines vare desired andas the strip is-cornparativelyl thin in cross section it may be readilybent laterally to follow curved lines ofthe bodyand then secured A inthat'position bythe nails, which are driven in through the openings 7between the adjacent freeedges of the flanges 6. After the strip l hasbeen accurately placed and firmly .secured-tothe body, the molding stripis then i applied by inserting the dovetail rib 3 lbesaid ribthroughout' the entirelength of the' tween the spaced apart edgesof theflanges 6 and-then-by rm pressure anda careful hain-` mering of themolding strip toward the s'e-` curing strip,tlie bendable flanges 6 arecaused to'bend by coming in contact with the concave -inner side of themolding vstrip and by such pressure thev free edges of these flanges are.forced rmly into the undercut' s idesof the rib 3, firmly interlockingwith molding.v I v v B y this arrangement the ,bending of the flanges 6in the proper direction to properly interlockwith the dove-tail rib isinsuredand bring-the parts in to firm interlocking engagement.ThereforeY marring of the outer surface ofthe molding ispreeluded andthe lmolding isheld firmly in place with its outer surface presenting asmooth, even contour lwithout waves or bends.

'As'the flanges Gare `folded inwardlyor toward each other intointerlocking engage'- ing is firmly held in place with" its edges firmlyagainstthe surface towhich it is applied laterally of theedges of thesecuring strip which i s entirely concealed bythe molding strip. A closejoint is formed between each edge of the molding and the surface -towhich it isapplied andissecured in that position bythe interlockingofthe flanges 6" with the Irib, these flanges bending readily into such.engagement by reason of being curved in the directionvof their width toconform to the `curvature of the concave'side of the molding andthebending of these flanges isfurther` facilitated bytheir reduction inthickness adjacent the edges of the base 5 of the strip. The moldingInay, therefore, be applied to the securing strip with comparativelylittle forceand when the parts are in firmly interlocked relation it isalmost impossible to sepy ar'ate them due to the form ofthe interlock.

In the modified construction shown in Figure 7, the molding strip 2 isformed with an outstanding flange 9 along the lower edge portionthereof, said flange being curved upwardly to provide a drip trough andan oppositevided at the inner side ofthe trough to engage the surface ofthe structure to which the molding is applied. f

The terms' used in describing the present inventionare to be interpretedin the light of the specification and to include the mechanicalequivalents thereof and as changes may obviously be made in the'construction and ings to receive securing means; and a moldlyorinwardly'extending flange l0 is pro- Within. the terms of the appendedclaims, I particular form of l ing strip having a longitudinallyextending A undercut rib to be engaged by the opposed edges of theflangeson the securing strip, said edges beingadapted to interlock withthe undercut of the rib, and a flange extending on each side of said ribin curved 'form in cross section substantially `concentric with theflanges of the securing'strip andwith their outeredges in a plane beyondthe plane of the inner edge face of the rib, saidl flanges f forming' anarch and being of an extent to vcompletely cover the securing strip andto rest on the surface of the body to which the finishing strip isattached and with said rib maintained out of contact with the securingmeans, thel space within thearea, Iexceptfor the rib, being free. i

2. A finishing strip comprising a securing strip having a base withflanges extending up- Wardly and inwardly towards 'each otherl from theedges of said base and spaced apart \at, their opposedl edges, means forsecuring Y said strip to the surface to'be finished, and a molding stripto overlie Vthe securing strip4 and-having an undercut rib to beinterlockingly engaged by the edges of the convergent 'flanges' of theysecuring strip, said molding' -strip having flanges extending laterallyfrom said rib andterminating in a plane parallel with and beyond theplane of the inner face I of .said rib, and with thespace within saidflanges, except for the' rib, beingfree, for

`bodily receiving said securing strip with its convergent flanges, saidmolding strip when pressed upon the securing strip deforming the flangesthereof to lock with the'rb and its edges forming stops coming againstthe said surface to limit 'the deformatlon of the said convergentflanges of the securing strip, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

WILLIAM J. MOORE.

